Joe Biden, the President of the United States, and Pope Francis had a conversation on Sunday regarding the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Middle East. Both the White House and the Vatican released separate statements confirming the discussion. According to the White House, they focused on the importance of preventing further escalation and working towards a lasting peace in the region. The Vatican stated that the call, which lasted approximately 20 minutes, centered on conflict situations worldwide and the urgent need to find paths to peace.
Hamas initiated the attack on Israel on October 7, resulting in the deaths of over 1,400 people. In response, Israel carried out air strikes on Gaza, a 45 km-long strip of land that falls within the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories and is home to 2.3 million individuals. Palestinian officials claim that these air strikes have claimed the lives of over 4,700 people.
During the call, President Biden, a Catholic, strongly condemned Hamas’s attack and emphasized the importance of safeguarding civilians in Gaza. The White House also mentioned that they discussed Biden’s recent visit to Israel and the ongoing efforts to deliver essential supplies like food, medicine, and other humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Pope Francis has consistently called for the release of hostages captured by Hamas during their October 7 attack. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed the United States’ hope for more hostages to be freed after the release of two American citizens on Friday.
Earlier in the day, Pope Francis expressed his deep sadness over the dire situation in Gaza, where an Anglican hospital and a Greek Orthodox church were targeted and bombed. “Brothers, stop,” appealed Pope Francis to the crowds in St. Peter’s Square.
The head of the U.N. World Food Program (WFP) has labeled the humanitarian situation in Gaza as catastrophic, highlighting the urgent need for assistance.
Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington and Crispian Balmer in Vatican City; Editing by Andrea Ricci
